The City of Mesquite amends the noise ordinance on Monday to help the city better address noise complaints.
The ordinance will now include the following:
- City staff can now address noise complaints that are plainly audible under certain circumstances and locations (This means no more decibel meter or witness complaint to enforce.)
- New noise zones of residential, commercial, manufacturing, and entertainment properties
- Updated daytime/nighttime maximum permissible sound levels that match other metroplex cities
- Clarifying nuisance standards language to classify a noise violation if it "annoys, distresses, or disturbs the quiet, comfort, or repose of a reasonable person with ordinary sensibilities."
- Allows special events permitted by the city to have temporary exceptions
- Allows for noise variance processes and noise abatement studies to be ordered under specific circumstances when there is the potential for a noise disturbance or when an existing facility purposely has a volume that is higher than the permissible limit
Individuals who violate the noise ordinance could be given a Class C Misdemeanor criminal offense and subject to a fine of up to $2,000.
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The city says individuals seeking to report someone else will be informed on how to participate in that process as a complaining witness with a recording of the nuisance when city officials are not able to witness it.
"Too often there are those in our city who simply have no thought or regard for their neighbors and don't care about the misery and suffering caused by hours of late night parties and music that causes homes to literally vibrate down the street," Mesquite Mayor Bruce Archer said. "This ordinance won't fix everything overnight, but it will give our police department more tools in their toolbox to better resolve these disturbances and give more residents hope that they don't have to keep enduring these problems. We have to do more."
Individuals seeking more information on Mesquite's amended noise ordinance can click here.
